Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

FFS it it on ESPN.

I split my bets this weekend. Got a good offer for the Brumbies Vs Reds and got the right result. In my accumulator I had backed the Brumbies however as I made the bet before I looked at the team sheets so I've nothing now on Leceister, but £3 on Quins along with a few other results.

I'm most looking forward to Leinster Vs Ospreys where I was able to use a £20 free bet (from the Brumbies game) and went with Ospreys to win 1st half and Leinster to win at 6-1. I'm pretty confident about that.

I better hide from the Internet till 9:30 when I can watch the Leicester Vs Quins game at 9:30 pm.

[finbar]

Look away now, kOc. Thank goodness Quins played their natural game after that silly tactical effort in the semi. Just too quick and too skilful on the day and a massive team effort. Tigers have Ben Youngs' couple of mad dashes to thank for staying in the game. Manu needs to grow a brain. Just a liability on the day. Mafi needs to have a look at a replay of his try and realise what a d1ck he looked. I tipped Tigers but I'm pleased for Quins. Mr O'Shea has done a fine job developing and guiding this team, and Mr Robshaw is everything you could want in a skipper. I still don't think he's bona fide Test standard but he has so many good attributes that he'll probably get away with it.

[kittenOFchaos]

I wouldn't have singled out Manu out blame before I'd had a good go at Waldrom.

Harlequins dominated most of the game and thoroughly deserved the victory. For much of the game I really didn't recognise Leceister, they were dreadful.

Commiserations Havak.

[finbar]

Not Waldrom's finest hour, certainly, silly penalty and card, but he tried hard. Manu did little except give away penalties - he seems to have no control over what he does in tackles - and he was leaving defensive holes begging to be exploited. The Tiger discipline overall was poor, a return to days past. The prop taking out Mike Brown right in front of the ref was idiotic, and Manu's older brother pelting the ball at Brown's head only told Quins they had Tigers rattled. Still, Cockers was gracious. G. Murphy doubting Waldrom's effort was even a penalty let alone a card was disingenuous.

[kittenOFchaos]

Don't forget Waldrom's attempt to be no. 15

Waldrom's effort wasn't a yellow card, but the number of penalties that Leicester earnt should have seen two in the bin over the course of the game. Barnes was pretty patient, added to the fact that in one passage with frequent penalties awarded (and waived due to advantage) Harlequins scored and so no action was taken.

[kittenOFchaos]

Ospreys 31 - Leinster 30

Regrettably I didn't get to see this. Shane Williams to snatch victory at the death? Are we sure it isn't staged?

In other news Ashton with a hat-trick of tries...

[finbar]

One match too many for Leinster, unfortunately. I could only watch it online. Leinster shouldn't have coughed up their handy lead but they had a couple of very un-Leinsterish lapses and the Os were very good. They had the Leinster scrum on toast most of the day and probably should have had a penalty try. Makes you fear for the Ireland scrum in NZ. That young Shane Williams fella looks like he might have a future, too.

The Baa-Baas were a bit of fun in the usual way. Ashton was very good in a context that suited him down to the ground. What he will take from the match most of all is some confidence. But whether he will see as much ball in SA is another matter because the huge weakness for England yesterday was that Sarries midfield. Farrell's lack of real passing skill was exposed, Barritt's too. I'd seen little of LI's Joseph before yesterday, but he made a serious impression when he came on at 13. Quick, strong, excellent feet. Trouble was, Barritt moved into 12 and Farrell to 10 to accommodate him. Lancaster seems wedded to the pair of them. We'll see what Mike Catt is made of in terms of influence.

[Havak]

Quins played very well and there is no shame in being undone by a better side on the day.

The return of ill discipline does concern me. I like Cockers but I do feel he has possibly taken the club as far as he can now. His own discipline as a player was not great and one wonders if he can tackle it in others?

O'Shea has done well - far better than he ever managed at Exiles. But to talk of a glorious era was simply silly. Everyone will be gunning for them next season.

[finbar]

This time last year the talk was of a glorious Saffies era. A contradiction in terms in that case, obviously, but it's standard fare these days to do it. Quins have proved they're up to the highest Premiership level. End of story. O'Shea has had much more to work with than at Exiles.

I've thought for a while that Cockers has taken them as far as he can. He seems very much old school Tigers and that might not be enough these days. I've opined before that there's a sameness about the team, a shortage of out and out game breakers.

Manu cited for the tackle on Care. It doesn't surprise me. Others have been cited for almost identical tackles. Despite what Barnes said on the field at the time, he did lift Care beyond the horizontal. At least he didn't either drop him or drive him head-first into the ground. Manu's less than stellar record might count against him.

[Havak]

The boy needs to step back, look at his self control issues and sort himself out. My worry is whether he is capable of so doing. When one hears him interviewed he does not come across as particularly bright. That may be entirely unfair of course.

Yes the game breakers of old are notable by their absence. One has to worry at the very high expectations being placed on George Ford in that regard. One swallow does not make a summer and also, if he keeps rotating behind Flood, his development might stall in the same way it did for Rory Clegg (whom I wish had featured as a starter at HQ last weekend to stop the Evans machine punishing us).

I think having tried twice to recruit big name coaches - Lofreda and Meyer - and had it go disasterously wrong the Tigers board have retreated into their comfort zone of "promote from within". So Geordan Murphy as the next DOR then?

[kittenOFchaos]

Martin Johnson

[finbar]

When one hears him interviewed he does not come across as particularly bright. That may be entirely unfair of course.

I haven't heard him interviewed but I get that impression anyway. It's evident on the field that his first thought is the only one he has. Another Ashton-type incident is never far away. Just as big a worry is his defence. He rushes regardless. Anyway, he's been cleared. Let's see how he copes in SA. If he gets a start.

I don't think Ford will necessarily suffer behind Flood. He's barely out of nappies and he's got special talents that won't desert him. Clegg at Newcastle was solid and composed for his age without Ford's special talents. Just when he needed to develop his game he condemned himself to the bench behind Evans. Silly move. I'm glad I've never made such stupid career decisions in my life.

[Havak]

I wish I had never made such stupid career decisions in my life too.

I am going to be interested seeing him in SA. The Boks will not shirk a physical challenge.

There are several interviews with Manu on Youtube. I'm unsure if he simply cannot speak well or if it is that the wattage is indeed quite low.

[finbar]

Why have I stopped getting email alerts when someone posts here?

I suspect the wattage is low, as in dumbed-down energy-saver low. Speaking of which, they've signed Cockers for another stretch. Good luck.

[Havak]

Why thank you sir.

And in regard to kOc suggesting Jonno I would love to have him back at the club in any capacity he chooses. I have a feeling he is done with coaching however. He would make a fine water boy?

And I'm not sure - turned that feature off some considerable time ago myself.